New Mexico Sues DOJ, Says Todd Blanche Is Sitting on Epstein Ranch Files

New Mexico isn't waiting around anymore.

Attorney General Raúl Torrez filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the Justice Department and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, accusing them of "stonewalling" the state's criminal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch, according to Forbes and The Guardian. The 10,000-acre property sits about 30 miles south of Santa Fe.

Torrez reopened the state's investigation in February after recent releases of Epstein files mentioned the ranch more than 13,000 times, with roughly 5,000 references to New Mexico specifically, according to a press release from Torrez's office cited by Forbes. His office says those files contain evidence of "grooming, trafficking, sexual abuse and other misconduct tied to the property."

This isn't a new fight. Back in 2019, the DOJ agreed to cooperate with New Mexico if the state held off on its own Zorro Ranch investigation until the federal probe wrapped up, according to the lawsuit. Torrez's office says that promise hasn't been honored. The complaint alleges the state has faced "sustained resistance to the type of information-sharing that has been routine from USDOJ under prior administrations of both political parties." Torrez is accusing DOJ leadership across years and parties of dragging their feet.

Torrez sent Blanche a letter on July 14 warning that if the records didn't show up by July 31, his office would "pursue all available legal remedies without further notice." The deadline passed. According to The Guardian, the DOJ appeared to simply ignore it.

Among the specific documents New Mexico wants: one that allegedly references the burial of two female victims on land surrounding the ranch, plus records identifying members of Epstein's "inner circle," visitors to the property, and staff. Some of that staff are alleged to have either participated in or witnessed abuse.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, asks the court to declare the DOJ's refusal to turn over records unlawful and to order the agency to comply with both the Epstein transparency law Trump signed in November and federal Touhy regulations governing how agencies respond to document requests during litigation. Torrez is also asking for costs and other relief the court deems appropriate.

Some context matters here. Epstein bought the ranch in 1993 from the estate of former New Mexico Governor Bruce King, a Democrat. Unlike Epstein's other properties in Palm Beach, New York, and his private Caribbean island, Zorro Ranch reportedly never saw a confirmed federal search, according to The Guardian. Multiple survivors have previously testified about abuse they say occurred there.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico gave The Guardian a statement last week, though the outlet's report cuts off mid-quote and doesn't detail the office's full response to the missed deadline. That's a gap worth flagging: readers don't get to see what, if anything, the DOJ says justifies the delay.

This lawsuit lands the same week the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12-10, strictly along party lines, to advance Blanche's nomination to be permanent Attorney General, according to Forbes. Blanche reportedly secured the votes of two Republican holdouts by agreeing in writing to kill a proposed fund that would have paid restitution to Jan. 6 rioters. His nomination still needs full Senate approval, and Forbes reports Senator Susan Collins of Maine is among those whose support isn't locked in.

Whether an Attorney General nominee facing a federal lawsuit over withheld Epstein records should be confirmed before that lawsuit is resolved is a legitimate question. It's also fair to note that no charges have been filed against Blanche personally, and the DOJ has not been found to have broken the law here. This is an accusation in a civil complaint, not a verdict. Torrez has to prove in court that the DOJ's refusal violates the transparency statute and Touhy regulations, and the DOJ will get a chance to respond.

What isn't in dispute: the July 31 deadline passed, and as of this filing, New Mexico still doesn't have the unredacted files it's asking for. A federal judge in Washington, D.C. now has to decide whether the Justice Department has to hand them over, and how fast.